March
March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven months with a length of 31 days. March begins (according to non-sidereal astrology) with the sun in the sign of Pisces and ends in the sign of Aries. Astronomically speaking, the sun begins in the constellation of Aquarius and ends in the constellation of Pisces. March in the Northern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of September in the Southern Hemisphere The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of the year and called Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March is the first month of spring, a logical point for the beginning of the year as well as the start of the military campaign season. The numbered year began on March 1 in Russia until the end of the fifteenth century. Great Britain and her colonies continued to use March 25 until 1752, the same year they finally adopted the Gregorian calendar. Many other cultures and religions still celebrate the beginning of the New Year in March. In Finnish, the month is called maaliskuu, which originates from maallinen kuu meaning earthy month. This is because in maaliskuu earth started to show from under the snow. Historical names for March include the Saxon term Lenctmonat, named for the equinox and eventual lengthening of days and the eventual namesake of Lent. The Saxons also called March Rhed-monat (for their goddess Rhedam); ancient Britons called it hyld-monath (meaning loud or stormy). Events in March *Mardi Gras (February 3 to March 9 in non-leap years or February 4 to March 9 in leap years) *Hanami, the traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers starts in late March. *Ash Wednesday (some Wednesday between February 4 to March 10) *Saint David's Day (March 1) *National Reading Day (United States) (March 2) *Memories (United States) (March 9) *Pi Day (March 14) *The Ides of March, the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar by Brutus, Cassius, Casca, and others (March 15) * Remembering to the 1848's Hungarian Revolution (March 15) *Saint Patrick's Day (March 17) *Saint Joseph's Day (March 19) *The equinox named the vernal or spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere occurs on dates varying from 19 March to 21 March (in UTC). *Norouz: New Year's Day in Iran and several other countries. A holiday in Turkey, Japan, and Central Asian countries as well. *Good Friday (some Friday between March 20 to April 23, being the last Friday before Easter) *Easter (some Sunday between March 22 to April 25) *Women's History Month (United States) *American Red Cross Month *The wearing of a Martenitsa in Bulgaria and Mărţişor in Romania (March 1) *Fire Prevention month (The Philippines) *Pakistan Day - March 23 *International Women's Day - March 8 Trivia *March begins on the same day of the week as November and February in common years. In leap years, it ends on the same day of the week as November. *Green is sometimes referred to March's colour. *March's birthstone is Aquamarine. See also *Historical anniversaries External links *Astronomy Answers article on the seasons Category:Months *